When I was a medical student we never used the words cancer and cure in the same sentence. That's changed! Now, 95% of all women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer will survive at least 5 years-considered a "cure" in the eyes of cancer specialists. Dr. Michele Blackwood, a breast of surgeon at Columbia University discussed this recently at the national Congress on Women's Health.

Dr. Michele Blackwood:
"The good news about breast cancer is that this mortality from breast cancer has decreased by 6%, over the past 10 years. It looks like over the next 10 years, another 20% decrease will occur. This means that less women will die from breast cancer every year, and that is good news."

Despite this good news, breast cancer remains one of the most feared diseases of all women. Women are scared by the misquoted statistic that one in eight women will get breast cancer; that means one in eight women who live to be 95. To optimize your chances of beating breast cancer, practice monthly BSE, see your physician for an annual breast exam, and follow the guidelines for screening mammograms each year after age 40 or as recommended by your doctor. When diagnosed and treated early, breast cancer can be cured.